Broadway on Disney

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Wonder why Disney hasn't gone this route yet. I think it would add a unique dimension benefiting both visitors and locals.

5 or 6 theaters spread across property with a capacity ranging between 800 - 2000 would be an easy fill. An option to see Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen, or the like "on property" would be a welcomed addition. The theaters could double as concert or entertainment venues showcasing up and coming musical performers, comedians, lecturers, orchestras, opera, etc.

When they announced the theater on Main Street it got my hopes up. But I've heard that project is now in limbo.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

On the Walt Disney World Explorer CD-ROM in the in the former Downtown Disney section they reference that there was to be the Disney entertainment theater which would have been a Performing Arts Theatre for visiting performers. While this never came, I'm guessing it would have been where Cirque du Soleil stands now.

 

[TwilightZone]

My only guess as to why this hasn't happened is maybe disney feels that having a full on theater show would work better at broadway and the cruises.
I've heard a story too of one of the disneys having some sort of theater show that proved itself to be very unpopular, so maybe they are afraid of long term popularity as well?

 

[kap91]

1. People at a show aren’t spending money in the parks or Disney springs
2. Concern about being able to fill multiple theatres (I think one theatre could work)
3. Concern about getting on the bad side of local government. Orlando spent a lot of money on its new performing arts center and would not be happy if Disney tried to take away their audiences or touring shows. The last time Disney and Universal tried to build nighttime entertainment it nearly destroyed downtown.

 

[larryz]

1. People at a show aren’t spending money in the parks or Disney springs

They could run the shows in the evenings, when a lot of the park people are pooped out and have already left...

 

[MisterPenguin]

 

[WondersOfLife]

Disney Springs does have Cirque du Soleil...

Throw in Lion King and Frozen... That'd be quite the cash grab. Make it a flex theater, make it house multiple shows like they do on the cruise ships.

Then also use it for celebrity concerts and whatnot.

Think Vegas. Lol.

 

[fosse76]

There isn't a market for it. It's really that simple. No show would be able to sustain any substantial run. Broadway shows, and we are talking blockbuster shows for this environment (no one visiting Disney is going to be seeing Kimberly Akimbo), are pretty expensive to run. They would need to be spectacles like Wicked or The Lion King, which cost upwards of $800K just to break even. You would need a 2000-seat theater, and it would likely not be filled. And in the off season, forget it.

 

[Robbiem]

Maybe the cirque deal prevents a rival show?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Maybe each park should have a broadway style theatre with broadway quality productions. Crazy!

 

[Richie248]

There isn't a market for it. It's really that simple. No show would be able to sustain any substantial run. Broadway shows, and we are talking blockbuster shows for this environment (no one visiting Disney is going to be seeing Kimberly Akimbo), are pretty expensive to run. They would need to be spectacles like Wicked or The Lion King, which cost upwards of $800K just to break even. You would need a 2000-seat theater, and it would likely not be filled. And in the off season, forget it.

Agree 100%, the economics of Broadway isn't as simple as "if you build it, they will come". They also have touring houses around the nation to consider. Vegas is also a good example of how tough it is to fill a large theater space.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Good seats to the Lion King on Broadway are $190 each or higher. Imagine a family of four paying that as well as snacks and swag after having paid for their expensive Disney vacation. Also, these shows are generally two and a half hours, minimum. After a long day of theme parking, I think not only the children would be zonked out, but probably the parents as well. Cool idea, but probably unworkable.

 

[SaucyBoy]

Good seats to the Lion King on Broadway are $190 each or higher. Imagine a family of four paying that as well as snacks and swag after having paid for their expensive Disney vacation. Also, these shows are generally two and a half hours, minimum. After a long day of theme parking, I think not only the children would be zonked out, but probably the parents as well. Cool idea, but probably unworkable.

They can barely keep Drawn to Life on life support and it's only 90 minutes with more family-friendly show times. There's no way a nearly 3-hour Broadway show would ever work at WDW.

 

[BuddyThomas]

They can barely keep Drawn to Life on life support and it's only 90 minutes with more family-friendly show times. There's no way a nearly 3-hour Broadway show would ever work at WDW.

Yup true and on another note. I don’t know why you are replying to my posts or liking my posts after you very rudely told me off in that other thread a week or so ago.

 

[SaucyBoy]

Yup true and on another note. I don’t know why you are replying to my posts or liking my posts after you very rudely told me off in that other thread a week or so ago.

Because I'm an adult who can still engage with people on this forum regardless of how irritating they are in other threads. I don't have time for your one man show tonight. I was simply responding with some anecdotal observations about why a Broadway show wouldn't work at Disney Springs. Take care!

 

[BuddyThomas]

Because I'm an adult who can still engage with people on this forum regardless of how irritating they are in other threads. I don't have time for your one man show tonight. I was simply responding with some anecdotal observations about why a Broadway show wouldn't work at Disney Springs. Take care!

Yup. Just as I thought. Welcome to my blocked list. Enjoy your life.

 

[Robbiem]

Agree 100%, the economics of Broadway isn't as simple as "if you build it, they will come". They also have touring houses around the nation to consider. Vegas is also a good example of how tough it is to fill a large theater space.

Vegas also failed at recreating Broadway about 15 years ago they tried transplanting lots of Broadway shows like The Producers, Avenue Q, Spamalot, even the Lion King but none of them lasted that long and the resorts went back to big headliners and cirque shows.